First trip to ALDI? What to know before you go.

August 3, 2015 Kristin, Exploring Domesticity

I love ALDI!

I recommend it to everyone and I have converted quite a few people into ALDI shoppers.

It seems everyone I talk to who hasn’t stepped foot inside an Aldi before is a little intimidated to make their first trip.

I get it. I didn’t know what to expect the first time I went to check it out either. I just knew that it would save me money and I needed to check it out.

Here are some tips so you know what to expect for your first trip to ALDI.

ALDI – Before You Go

First trip to @aldiusa? What to know before you go.

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Insert Quarter Here

ALDI does numerous things to help keep costs down, and not paying someone to round up carts is one of them.

Bring a quarter because all carts are located just outside the doors and you need that quarter to unlock your cart. Don’t worry, you get it right back when you return the cart to the same spot and lock it back into place.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)

Saving money and saving the environment – who doesn’t love that? ALDI doesn’t provide a crazy amount of paper or plastic bags, bag your groceries for you, or even have space for you to bag at the end of the aisle.

So, bring your own reusable bags (and at least one more than you need, from my own personal experience with always buying more than I expect). Empty your cart and hold on to your bags because they cashier will empty your groceries (very quickly) into another cart. Then move to the counter running along the back wall and begin packing.

If you forget your bags, or know you won’t be able to fit it all into the ones you brought, ALDI does sell bags at the register.

Meal Planning Ahead May Not Work

I know a lot of people plan meals for the week or more and shop with a very specific list in mind. This may not work for ALDI shopping.

I tend to have a general idea of things to look for, but it basically comes down to seeing what they have at the time and how everything looks.

ALDI keeps the number of available products low (smaller inventory = smaller stores and costs) and there is a good chance that some things on your list may not be there for you. I keep a general rule to buy any and all produce that is on sale or looks too good to pass up, and fill in with staples.

The more you shop at ALDI, the more you will know how to plan your meals and how to be flexible.

Just Check It Out

As I said, shopping at ALDI takes some getting used to. The more you go, the more you will get the hang of it and know what to look for or get more comfortable trying new things.

If you are someone who is a little intimidated to do your grocery shopping at ALDI, I suggest just heading there the first time to window shop. Just walk around, get used to the flow (ALDI has a deliberate flow to feed you through the whole store) and look at everything.